User blog:Willbachbakal/Co-Op Weapons: Hack Tool
While I've still got time on my hands, let's move onto BioShock 2's Hack Tool: as a new gameplay addition, it was original, useful and fun to use. All of its three ammo types expanded machine-related gameplay and made it much more varied than the zap-and-hack gameplay of the original. However, as I mentioned before, its use becomes limited to its Miniature Turrets once every available machine has been hacked. This could become even more of a problem in co-op, since you'd be two to hack every machine in the area. To fix this, it'd need more tools to interact with Security Devices. Description *'Clip Size:' One round. *'Ammo Carry Capacity:' 9/4/4 Appearance-wise, this'd probably the simplest of all descriptions: you hold all of your ammo types in your hand, which would be fitted with a glove with electronics on it. You'd then just throw your darts and the like as with the game of the same name, although they'd still fly in a straight line. Gameplay-wise, no changes. Ammo Types Base Ammo *'Remote Hack Darts:' No changes. Rare Ammo *'Automatic Hack Darts:' Work like the Hack Tool's Auto-Hack Darts, only they'd take about a second or two to convert the machine to your side. *'Self-Destruct Darts:' Pretty much what it says on the tin. Firing one of these at a Security Device will cause it to deactivate and then immediately blow up, sending jolts of electricity all around it. *'Upgrade Darts:' Work like the Advanced Programming upgrade for my singleplayer Hack Tool: firing one of these at a friendly Security Device will increase its health and damage output for a limited amount of time, as well as give it new abilities for the duration of its effects: **'Security Cameras' turn into Sentries. Camera initiates an alarm immediately upon spotting an enemy, and will always call in fully-upgraded Security Bots. **'Machine Gun Turrets' turn into Crowd Control Turrets. In addition to an increased rate of fire, each bullet pushes the enemy back slightly. **'RPG Turrets' turn into Cannon Turrets. RPGs fired by the Turret move much faster, and home in much more precisely on enemies. **'Flamethrower Turrets' turn into Napalm Turrets. Turret fires napalm which sticks to the scenery for several seconds, and will strategically form walls of the stuff when attacked. **'Crossbow Turrets' turn into Shock Turrets. Turret's precision is increased and each shot electrifies the target, along with any other enemy close to them. **'Quake Turrets' turn into Seismic Turrets. Turret heals continuously over time and doubles the force of its shockwaves. **'Hive Turrets' turn into Swarm Turrets. Turret can deploy up to four mini-Bots, up from two, and a couple of them will always stand guard by the Turret even when not attacked. **'Sonic Turrets' turn into Echo Turrets. Sound walls generated by this Turret increase in amplitude faster and can rebound up to three times before disappearing. **'Harpoon Turrets' turn into Butcher Turrets. Turret can fire two harpoons at a time against different enemies and periodically interrupts its victims' attacks. **'Ion Turrets' turn into Grid Turrets. Turret can deploy itself at all grates at once and can concentrate its fire on a single spot to produce an Ion Flash in the middle of combat. If this happens while every part of the Turret is firing at the same enemy, that enemy will be blinded for a longer amount of time. Inventable Ammo *'Miniature Turrets:' No changes, although you'd only be able to deploy up to two at a time. *'Freezer Turrets:' Same size as the Mini-Turrets, only they continuously chill the area around them, decreasing their victims' speed and increasing their vulnerability to damage. In addition, periodically send out a cold burst, freezing everyone in their immediate vicinity. As with the Mini-Turrets, can only deploy up to two at a time. *'Mortar Turrets:' Also miniature, have a much slower rate of fire than Miniature Turrets, but fire grenades into the air that explode upon impact. Can deploy up to two at a time. Upgrades *'Overclock:' Doubles all bonuses gained from landing on a blue area while hacking. *'Hacking Suite:' Grants a new ability to the special darts you've equipped: **'Automatic Hack Darts' become Booster Darts. Machines have their accuracy and rate of fire drastically increased for the next few seconds after being auto-hacked. **'Self-Destruct Darts' become Sabotage Darts. Self-destructing devices also expel their ammunition all around them. Machine Gun Turrets fire rounds, Shotgun Bots send out pellets, Napalm Turrets spray napalm, etc. Security Cameras under this effect will produce a bright flash, blinding and disorienting all nearby enemies for the next few seconds. **'Upgrade Darts' become Super Upgrade Darts. After hitting a machine with an Upgrade Dart, the effects become permanent. *'Turret Mods:' Upgrades your Turrets, changing their appearance and giving them new powers: **'Miniature Turrets' become Janus Turrets. Can target and fire upon two different targets at a time, or concentrate upon a single target with double force. **'Freezer Turrets' become Frostbite Turrets. The longer enemies stay in its area of effect, the more chilled they become, until they eventually freeze completely. **'Mortar Turrets' become Howitzer Turrets. Each mortar shot is accompanied by a spread of smaller bomblets which explode around the main projectile. *'Proxy Network:' Upon impact with a machine, your darts inflict their effects upon every other nearby device. If you hack a machine with a Remote Hack Dart, for example, every other machine in the area turns to your side, and gain a bonus if you earned one. Auto-Hack Darts do the same, Upgrade Darts upgrade everything nearby, and Self-Destruct Darts cause every device close to it to explode violently. *'System Overload:' Deployed Turrets and machines hacked using Remote Hack Darts explode violently upon destruction, expelling their ammunition all around (as with Sabotage Darts). *'Adaptive Armor:' Firing a special dart or deploying a Turret will temporarily imbue the Hack Tool with powers related to that ammo type, which change its appearance and the effects of your quick-melee attack: **With Automatic Hack Darts your quick-melee attacks momentarily disarm the enemy. **With Self-Destruct Darts your quick-melee attacks temporarily stun the enemy. **With Upgrade Darts your quick-melee attacks throw the enemy back, knocking them to the floor. Armored enemies are pushed back instead. **With Miniature Turrets your quick-melee attack rate is increased. **With Freezer Turrets your quick-melee attacks chill the enemy, slowing them down and increasing their vulnerability to damage. **With Mortar Turrets your quick-melee attacks deal splash damage. And that's it for the Hack Tool! After this will come the Camera, and after that I have another... It'd be hard to guess what it is, but guess what its main use is! Back to the weapons section. Back to the Hub. Category:Blog posts